Hey guys, I'm pretty new to aikido. I'm in a dojo which emphasis practical use of aikido in everyday life situations, especially street. My sensei has a background in fencing and tests us when he feels we're ready. We will somtimes used sword or bokken and staff or jo training to get the "feel" for non-weapon aikido, to feel the connection with the uke and nage better. Also its actually a mix between practical (although mostly) and somewhat spiritual in nature. Mostly practical techniques though in real life situations.

I've been going now about 5 months at least, maybe 6th. His tests are extremely comprensive, and involve techniques involving uke and nage technique demonstrated with proper technique as well as excerises such as funigoshi and basic other excerises such as joint strenches for use like sankyo before class, a warm up, and rolls from shoulder to hip (forward), standing and kneeling, and backward rolls standing and kneeling.

I do not have a car, so I often have to ride the bus there. I get there 30 minutes to an hour early to watch the Kung fu and study my Dynamic Sphere AIkido book, although I'm a white belt and do not understand more advanced techniques. I'm beginning to understand the connections (slightly) between basic techniques like throwing off balance off the uke's center, depending on their position to nage. I hope this makes sense.

We always practice excerises meant to get a "feel" for connection energy or ki between uke and nage energy. I have a question too. One time, to feel energy connection and conect with the partner to feel an incoming blow like a mentsuke (punch to stomach? ) before it happens. My partner would grab my wrist. I would apply slight pressure to his center to feel a connection, he would as wel. He told me to close my eyes, and tell me when I felt him start to move his fist. Surprisingly, with this connection, I was able to feel as soon as he moved his fist and got even close to hitting me with this connection of energy. It was a nice feeling.

But I noticed when practicing against people who are not trained in aikido, this energy is not present. My question is, why? Even though I make a connection with a partner not in aikdio, I think they do not apply force back, I cannot tell when they throw a punch. Why is this?

Its beginning, at least i think, to make more sense. Our sense may do it a little different. When grabbed by the wrist, I apply forward pressure palm facing up and energy towards their center, I feel this unbalances them a little, which I think is good. I then use my other hand (knife edge) to pin their elbow at their center, and try to enter without bobbing my head and keeping feet and stance slightly bent and in good balance to fix this.

Its strange that a supposedly harder technique like shinonage is easiest for me. After yellow belt, the next belt in our class is blue. At blue, randori with 2 people is done with yokomenuchi against 2 people. At purple, 2 people with 3 different style of attacks. I noticed how very fast they would attack the person defending doing the randori, like in a real life situatinon. He held up well, but then paused in his technique (didn't blend complettly) the "enemy" or partner attacking in this case took advantage and reversed his technique somehow, and piled on him. Despite this, he wasn't aware of all the different attack styles they were going to use. They used not only yokomenuchi (circlular strike to the head) but also a grab and mentsuke (punch to the stomach area, I think). Our sensei likes to throw curve balls to make us nervous and react, like in a real life situation when the pressure is on in tests. There's no test fees, it's $60 a month, uniform was about $60. Despite this, I get alot out of the class, its twice a week max. After about 6 months, I believe I'm no where close to being able to test. I may take at least another 7 months, maybe a year before I'm ready.

But just wanted to introduce myself.

Thank you

Kevin
A new and very beginner student in Aikido

PS: I've taken Tae Known Do and Karate for 5 years as a teenager. I was very good and almost got to black in Tae kwon do. But I was only 13. I've noticed Aikido seems to be much, much different, and much, much more difficult! Boy, my first days I flopped rolling, and couldn't relate or understand what he is saying. When I look back, I think others have said absoultely I'm made progress since and am progressing my sensei said. (It seems to take forever...but that's ok,its about the journal not the destination)